13015 - Prison Catering: Caterer - HMP Whatton

Ministry of Justice; Rushcliffe; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

A government department in the United Kingdom is seeking a Catering Officer for its prison service. This role involves overseeing offenders while they prepare and cook nutritious meals in an industrial kitchen setting, aiming to help them learn new skills and achieve qualifications. The job offers a stable salary plus allowances for unsocial hours, and requires specific certifications in food production and hygiene. This is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact while working standard hours.

Benefits

Pension

Civil Service benefits

Apprenticeship opportunities

Qualifications

• Level 2 certificate in food production within hospitality and catering or equivalent.
• Food hygiene certificate at Level 2.
• Familiar with health, safety, and hygiene regulations.

Responsibilities

• Oversee offenders to prepare and cook quality, nutritional meals.
• Help offenders learn new skills and gain qualifications.
• Work a full range of shifts including weekends and holidays.

Skills

Ability to demonstrate competency within an industrial kitchen environment

Able to speak with confidence in English

Familiarity with health, safety, and hygiene regulations

Education

Level 2 certificate in food production

Food hygiene certificate at Level 2

Job description

This is not your average catering job. It is a great chance to put your catering qualifications and skills into practice and make an impact far beyond the kitchen.

As part of the prison’s catering team, you’ll be working in a professional industrial kitchen environment, with a good salary, pension and Civil Service benefits including apprenticeship opportunities ‘earn while you learn’. Unlike traditional restaurant jobs, you won’t have to work late into the evening.

You’ll oversee the work of offenders to prepare and cook quality, nutritional meals for the entire prison. Plus, you’ll play your part in helping them turn their lives around - supporting them to learn new skills and work towards gaining qualifications to increase their chances of employment and reduce their likelihood of reoffending when they leave prison.

Hours and salary

You will work a 37-hour week and shift patterns are in place which include hours outside of 7am to 7pm Monday to Friday, weekends and public holidays. You will receive a 20% unsocial hours payment in addition to your basic pay, subject to working these hours.

All roles can be open to part-time and job share arrangements subject to the business need/operational requirement. However, you will still be required to undertake the full range of shifts. As a new recruit, you will start on the minimum salary.

• Band 3 salary minimum inclusive of 20% unsocial hours allowance – £33,746
• Band 3 salary maximum inclusive of 20% unsocial hours allowance – £35,533

Qualifications and experience

• Level 2 certificate in food production within hospitality and catering or equivalent
• Food hygiene certificate at Level 2

In addition, you must be:

• Familiar with all current health, safety and hygiene related regulations for working in a kitchen
• Able to demonstrate competency within an industrial kitchen environment
• Able to speak with confidence in English

Please note refresher training in food safety (HACCP) should be completed at three year intervals.

Tips for applying

You will need to provide an anonymised CV and answer questions which outline your past experience.

You will also need to answer specific ‘behavioural’ questions. We will ask you how you would react in your job.

Behaviours

• Developing self and others
• Managing a quality service
• Communicating and influencing
• Making effective decisions
• Working together